Association analysis of IL-6 polymorphisms and relevant biomarkers in patients with renal failure

The present study aimed to clarify the relationship between polymorphisms present in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene (rs1800795 and rs1800797) and the susceptibility to chronic kidney disease (CKD), while concurrently examining critical biochemical markers (urea, creatinine, albumin, calcium, phosphate and glucose) alongside the levels of immunological factors [IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and antinuclear antibodies (ANAs)]. A detailed investigation was carried out on a group of 51 subjects (22 male and 29 female subjects) who were 40-60 years old. The serum concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α and ANA were quantitatively evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, whereas the levels of various biochemical markers were determined by the Cobas 6000 analytical system. Genomic DNA was isolated and the IL-6 single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped by employing the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism methodology. The analysis of body weight showed notable differences between the male and female participants; however, other chemical markers did not indicate any sex-related variations. The correlation analyses illustrated moderate statistically significant relationships between albumin and calcium, together with an association between urea and phosphate, while the levels of IL-6, TNF-α and ANA portrayed a non-significant fluctuation. Analysis of the IL-6 gene showed that carriage of the rs1800795 C allele was associated with increased susceptibility to CKD, whereas rs1800797 was not significantly associated with CKD. Integrating genetic, immunological and biochemical data may improve understanding of CKD susceptibility, although validation in larger cohorts is required.